Roosters crow in NRL Grand Final

Sonny Bill Williams will decide whether he will attempt to win a second premiership with the Roosters in coming weeks. For now though, he is content to claim that the NRL will move on with or without him.

"That doesn't matter, who leaves, who comes," Williams said after playing a key role in the Roosters' 26-18 win over Manly. "You've just got to look at the (under) 20s - there's tremendous talent. One door shuts, there's always going to be another door open. There'll always be special talent coming through.

"I don't consider myself to be special, or any type of player. I'm just myself. And if I leave, or if I stay, there's still going to be people coming through. For myself, I keep it simple - stay humble, work hard, and earn the boys' respect."

"I don't consider myself to be special, or any type of player. I'm just myself": Sonny Bill Williams after the Roosters grand final victory. Photo: Anthony Johnson

It remains to be seen whether the fact that Williams won his second NRL premiership would play a role. The Kiwi second-rower might just decide that he has now done what he wanted to do by returning.

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What's the challenge now? Whether that will be the case was unclear. Williams was clearly in a mood to savour the moment. He said he would decide on his future in his own time; there was a premiership win to celebrate.

"The last month, I just asked the club if I could not do any media and just concentrate on my thing, that's winning this competition, or doing my part," Williams said. "I went into my shell, changed my number, went off social media and just dedicated myself to the cause, that we were trying to achieve.

2013 NRL Grand Final

All the action from the 2013 NRL Grand Final between the Manly Sea Eagles and Sydney Roosters at ANZ Stadium. Like these photos? Go to fairfaxsyndication.com. Follow us at http://twitter.com/photosSMH. Photo: Jonathan Carroll

"I'm pretty dedicated, but to win a competition like the NRL, you have to go that extra mile. All the boys, they'd been off the drink for a while, and dedicated themselves to the cause.

"It's just so sweet looking down on this (the premiership ring). It's a dream come true."

Asked if the premiership would make the decision harder, he said: "It does. I don't know. I'm just so happy. I'm not going to worry about that. I'll sit down in the next couple of weeks. Tonight, I'm just going to sit back . . . I'm a content and happy man at the moment. I'm not going to be going through any of that. I'm just going to sit back and be happy."

The Roosters, right now, are happy for Williams to make up his mind on his terms. If he decides to head back to rugby union, he will leave a significant hole in the Roosters' premiership defence. Yet Roosters coach Trent Robinson knows that knowing now or knowing in a fortnight or more will not change that.

"That's a risk that you take with a player like that," Robinson said. "We had to take a risk in getting him back here. Nick Politis took a risk that no-one else would. And he's proved a lot of people wrong."

His first half against the Sea Eagles was rather underwhelming. But Williams told his players that he would turn his performance around - and he did so, producing two of the key plays in the Roosters' comeback victory.

"I did a bit of study, of Manly, and their left-side defence - they like to get up a lot, with Steve Matai and Kieran Foran," Williams said. "I was trying to punch holes around them, play around them. It didn't come off.

"I said to the boys that I'm going to wipe that first half, and I'm going to go out and play for them. I'd expect the same from the boys. I didn't want to go back on my word. I just went out there and tried to run as hard as I could.

"I wasn't playing direct (in the first half). I tried to go around them.

"But in the second half, I'm proud to say that I stood up in the tough times. When the game was on the line . . . I'm my harshest critic, and I just tried to step up. I'm grateful to be in such a talented side."

Second-half tries to Shaun Kenny-Dowall and Michael Jennings were set up by an offload and a bust respectively by Williams, who won his second premiership, having tasted success with the Bulldogs in 2004.

"I didn't cry, but it was the first time I've come close to crying," Williams said. "I'm just happy. I've been blessed to be in a few good teams over the years, and this is no different. I'm just happy to do it with this group of young men."

2 comments so far

Yeah I know you're coming back to NZ. Tell them already haha

Commenter

swilliams828

Date and time

October 07, 2013, 5:46AM

SBW leaving League would be the best news from the 2013 season. He only resonates in NSW and certainly Queenslanders don't care whether he stays or goes. I am sick of hearing about him. If you cannot stay loyal to the All-Blacks then a Rugby League team with a grand final win is not going to make you stay.

6 Oct
All the action from the 2013 NRL Grand Final between the Manly Sea Eagles and Sydney Roosters at ANZ Stadium. Like these photos? Go to fairfaxsyndication.com. Follow us at http://twitter.com/photosSMH.

7 Oct
Half a century ago, rugby league witnessed an epic grand final played in the sanctified mud at the SCG, and it produced a moment between Arthur Summons and Norm Provan that forever symbolises the game.

6 Oct
The Roosters overcame a controversial penalty-try decision and produced one of the greatest touchdowns in grand-final history, thanks to Michael Jennings, to win one of the best deciders of the modern era.

7 Oct
Sonny Bill Williams told his teammates at half-time that he would turn his performance around. True to his word, he did so, producing two of the key plays in the Roosters' comeback victory over Manly after a disappointing first half.

7 Oct
Even if Sonny Bill Williams now walks away from the NRL for a second time, all fans - and not just Sydney Roosters supporters - should celebrate the fact he came back to show off his remarkable talents.